Wearing a PPE, Jaja shows up in volley tryouts
SUBIC – Jaja Santiago, the first Filipina to win a gold medal overseas, showed up in the national women’s volleyball tryouts yesterday afternoon at the Subic Gym here.
Wearing a PPE, the 6-foot-4 Santiago, the Ageo Medics standout in the Japan V.League and a Chery Tiggo middle hitter, led a mix of veterans and collegiate players in the one-day tryouts.
Under the watchful eyes of coach Odjie Mamon, the 16 players who received invites showed their stuff during the four-hour tryouts as they make a case to make it to the national training pool for this year’s tournaments such as the 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games.
F2 Logistics’ Aby Maraño and Majoy Baron, and Chery Tiggo’s Eya Laure and Mylene Paat, who donned the national colors in the 30th SEA Games in 2019, also attended the tryouts, as well as PetroGazz’s Ria Meneses, Sta. Lucia’s Dell Palomata and veteran Fil-Am setter Iris Tolenada.
Also making their presence felt in the tryouts are the promising young student-athletes who are groomed as the future of the sport.
National University’s Kamille Cal, Ivy Lacsina, Alyssa Solomon, Michaela Belen and Jennifer Nierva, Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos, and University of Santo Tomas’ Imee Hernandez and Bernadette Pepito showed up.
Stringent health and safety protocols, which includes wearing facemasks inside the court, were in place with the PNVF Medical Commission chairperson Dr. Raul Canlas overseeing the proceedings.
The volleyball tryouts will continue with the men’s volleyball morning and afternoon sessions today at the Subic Gym, while the beach volleyball tryouts is set on tomorrow at the Subic Tennis Courts.
